Why Your Child Should Enroll in Music Lessons

Keeping your children active outside of school is extremely beneficial to both their physical and emotional growth. From after-school sports to extracurricular clubs, the opportunities are endless. However, one of the most beneficial programs children can be involved in is that of instrumental lessons.

Whether they are playing piano, violin, guitar, or drums, music lessons can improve academic performance in young children. The correlation between music and math has been observed for quite some time, but is still somewhat puzzling to psychologists and medical professionals. One connection that is fairly obvious however is rhythm and patterns. Those taking instrumental lessons tend to have an easier time understanding things like fractions, division, and multiplication. The memorization of songs and rhythms also enhances a child’s short and long-term memory.

Children’s motor skills can be significantly built as well, especially when practicing percussion instruments. Drums, piano, or marimba can develop hand-eye coordination, as well as multi-limb coordination in more complex areas of music. Additionally, more demanding instruments are great outlets for children with a lot of energy. The skills learned can be applied to a number of other hobbies, like coordination for dancing and sports.

In group classes, one’s social skills may begin to flourish. Working together with other children learning a new instrument encourages young ones to interact and help one another, in addition to working closely with the teacher. A child will learn his or her role within the mini orchestra, and adjust accordingly. For example, playing too fast or loud can affect an entire song, teaching them the importance of teamwork.

Struggling to learn a new instrument can test a child’s patience, which can be a good thing, though it may not seem like it at first. The time it takes to learn an instrument, let alone perfect it can be grueling, but is a great way to teach children the value of perseverance. It may take a few months before a child can confidently play a specific instrument, but they day they are able to do so will be extremely rewarding for them, leading to the next advantage: a boost in self-esteem.

After devoting so much time to learning an instrument, a child’s self-esteem and confidence can grow substantially. Working alongside other children struggling to play their instruments also shows that nobody is perfect, but with practice comes improvement. An improved sense of confidence is a trait that is directly translated to the professional world, aiding in areas like public speaking and face-to-face interactions.

Allow your child to choose the instrument they are interested in the most. If it is something that poses too challenging for them to learn, encourage them to try another one according to his or her taste in music. The improvement of their overall well-being may surprise you.